Christmas Is All Around
by JustYourAverageWhovian
Summary: Arthur Pendragon should be at Elton John's Christmas party...so why on earth is he at Merlin's flat? A Christmas modern!au one shot with a sprinkling of Merthur but can be seen as bromance if you do so wish. Inspired by a scene in 'Love Actually'.


This is a random Christmas one shot inspired by the scene at the end of one of my favourite Xmas movies, Love Actually. The scene is the one with Bill Nighy's character, Billy Mack – an ageing rockstar - and his manager Joe. It screamed potential Merthur Modern!AU scene so here goes... most of the dialogue is in the scene in the movie, just fiddled about with to work with this fandom.

*0*0*

"_And the Christmas number one for 2012 is...Arthur Pendragon's 'Christmas Is All Around!"_

The room went ballistic. Party goers, groupies, wannabes and record company owners all burst into simultaneous applause and shouting. Within the blink of an eye, the man of the hour, Arthur Pendragon was lifted up onto an intricate looking glass table and waved madly at the crowd surrounding him. Barely anyone spared a glance at the tall, lanky, dark-haired man at the back of the room, beaming across at the rock-star. Arthur gave a cheeky grin at him and it was returned with a gleeful thumbs up. A large, retro-styled phone was passed up to Arthur who answered it with a smirk.

"You're speaking to Arthur Pendragon."

"_Arthur, congratulations on your number one single!" _The presenter's voice sounded across the room.

"Why thank you Reggie."

"_So, how are you planning on celebrating your victory?"_

"Well, I could spend it with my lanky, wisp of a manager in his old, grungy flat..."

The sound of the crowd awing in disappointment echoed around the room, and Merlin frowned, a flash of hurt darting across his face before covering it up. He'd known Arthur long enough to know it wasn't personal.

"...Or I could attend one of the hundred parties I'm about to get invited to and get completely sloshed, surrounded by scantily clad women!"

An answering roar of approval came from the many people in the room, and the corners of Merlin's mouth jerked up.

"_Wow, well, have fun my friend! And for all you out there, let's have another listen to the black stallion of Christmas songs, and our unlikely winner, 'Christmas Is All Around'!"_

The opening bars of the number one single rang across the room and Arthur bellowed down the phone,

"Turn that rubbish off!" To much laughter, and the chuckle of Reggie, the radio presenter, before hanging up. Someone turned the radio up, and the lyrics to Arthur's track were sung to by everyone in the room. Except Arthur himself, who stood with his fingers in his ears, grimacing and shaking his head unhappily.

"I feel it in my fingers; I feel it in my toes. Christmas is all around me, and so the feeling grows."

Over the sound of Arthur's drawling voice singing out the cover of 'Love Is All Around', the phone rang again and the track was suddenly turned off.

"Hello?" The aging rockstar greeted. "Elton?" There was a pause. "Why I'd love to come to yours, I'll be there before you know it."

Arthur leaped off the table and was swallowed by the crowd heading for the door, leaving Merlin shaking his head in his wake.

*0*0*

"_It's written in the wind, it's everywhere I go. So if you do love Christmas, c'mon and let it snow."_

Merlin was stretched out on his crumbling loveseat, in front of an old television, grimacing at Arthur prancing around a stage with women dressed up in sexy Santa outfits in the downright tacky music video. His flat was indeed, as Arthur so eloquently put it, old and grungy. Horrible mustard yellow wallpaper had been covered with various Arthur Pendragon posters and certificates, mainly because Merlin didn't trust Arthur to look after these things himself. A platinum disc for Arthur's first hit single 'Invasion' – from way back when he was a fresh, talented young artist – leant atop a glass cabinet in the corner and his this first printed copy of his autobiography, 'The Trials and Torments of Arthur Pendragon' was stuck between several other books in Merlin's sole bookshelf. Merlin jumped out of his seat in shock when the doorbell rung. Glancing at his watch, he muttered,

"11'o'clock! Blasted carol singers." And then scurried down the flight of stairs to open the creaky door. A few moments later he was leading Arthur Pendragon up the stairs into his living room.

"What are you doing here? You're meant to be at Elton John's!" He pointed out in disbelief, then paused on the steps.

"Yeah but, I was there for a minute or two, then I had," Arthur paused, as if trying to find the right word, glancing at Merlin sheepishly. "An epiphany."

Merlin stared at him blankly for a moment. "Really?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, come on..just come up." Merlin gestured for his friend and boss to follow him up into his living room, where he turned around and faced Arthur, looking rather like a mother listening to their child tell them about the fairy land they visited today at school. "So...um...what was this 'epiphany'?"

"Um.." Arthur paused, looking around desperately, "It was about Christmas."

Merlin snorted then smirked. "You realised it was _all around_?"

Arthur's shoulders slumped. "No you clotpole. I realises that..that Christmas is the time to be with the people you, er, love." Arthur plopped a bottle of expensive whiskey on a table as if to punctuate his point.

"Riiiight."

"And..I..I...realised that as dire chance and...fateful cock-up would have it, here I am, mid thirties. And without knowing it, spent most of my...adult life with a," Arthur smirked slightly, "lanky employee."

Merlin frowned in indignation but stayed silent.

"And...and as much as it, um, grieves me to say it, that the people I, erm, _love_, is in fact...you."

Merlin's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "Well...this is a surprise."

"Yeah..."

"Ten minutes in Elton John's and you're as gay as a picnic basket!" Merlin squeaked as Arthur approached him and stood within touching distance of him.

"No, look, I'm serious here! I left Elton's, where there were a hefty number of half naked chicks with their mouths open...in order to hang out with, well, _you_. At Christmas."

"Well...well." Merlin was having trouble forming words and just settled for gaping at his boss with unhindered suprise.

"It's a terrible, terrible mistake Merlin," As Arthur spoke, he took a few more steps closer to Merlin so they were toe to toe, then said with surprising confidence, "But you turned out to be the fucking love of my life."

"Errrrrr."

"And to be honest," He leant in and lowered his voice, grinning, like a child about to release their biggest secret into the world, "despite all my complaining, we have had a wonderful life." He chuckled then and Merlin joined in.

"Well...thank you." Merlin whispered hoarsely, trying to blink out the wetness in his eyes – because crying wasn't many goddamnit, no matter how gay your boss seems to be sounding. "I mean...it's been an honour...I...I feel very proud." Merlin stretched out a hand to clasp Arthur's, but was stopped as Arthur said;

"Oh for goodness sake." And pulled him into a hug. "Merry Christmas Merlin."

"Merry Christmas Arthur."

*0*0*

I think I needed that. Well, MERRY CHRISTMAS GUYS! I love you all very much and it's been an honour to be a part of this fandom and I hope it continues as strong as it always has been. 3


End file.
